BT to Extend Core Network with Lucent’s Optical Technology

BT awarded a major contract to
Lucent Technologies to expand its core
network using dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) technology.

Pioneered
by
Ciena Corp., DWDM splits the light inside optical fibres into multiple
channels,
thereby increasing capacity.

“Lucent’s DWDM
system
will enable us to meet the fast growing demand for voice and data services.
Lucent’s considerable experience in designing, building and managing
high-capacity
networks means we can offer our customers the sophisticated, high-speed
communications they demand,” said Ted Collins, transmission delivery manager at BT.

BT put the contract out to a competitive bidding tender while also
extensively
testing the Lucent technology. The value of the contract was not announced.

Lucent will become the main supplier to BT of high-capacity optical
networking
technology, and will be installing its WaveStar OLS 80G 16-channel DWDM
system
as part of the deal. It will also provide ITM-SC network management
technology,
a centralised Network Element Management system.

Lucent has already installed around 2,000 optical line systems for different
organisations and claims the largest share of the $2.2 billion global DWDM
market at 29 percent.